Text Fwd: Egypt's army clashes with protesters

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Army officers escort a protester away from Liberation Square in Cairo, Egypt
An Egyptian girl waves a national flag in celebration.

An early morning overview of Cairo's Liberation Square, the epicenter of the popular revolution that drove Hosni Mubarak from power on February 11, is seen on February 13, 2011.


CLG News
Press TV
Egypt's army clashes with protesters
Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:47AM

Egypt's army has clashed with protesters that refuse to leave Cairo's Liberation Square two days after the US-backed dictator Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power.

Soldiers on Sunday scuffled with thousands of protesters camping out in the Square, the focal point of massive rallies that brought down Mubarak on Friday, a Press TV correspondent reported.

Shouting slogans, protesters fought street battles with soldiers forcing them to back away, the report added.

The protesters, remaining in Cairo's central Liberation Square on Saturday night, warned of holding further rallies if the military fails to fulfill its promise of a peaceful transition of power to a democratic civilian system.

Eighteen days of revolution across Egypt forced the embattled Mubarak to leave office on Friday, handing over power to a military council.

The military promised "a peaceful transition of power" to an elected civilian government on Saturday in order to build "a free democratic state."

However, the new military leadership did not set a timetable to fulfill the pledge.

Thousands of protesters vowed to remain on the major landmark until their demands are met.

Activists have demanded the release of political prisoners, the lifting of a 30-year-old state of emergency and the disbandment of military courts. They say demonstrations will continue until the army accepts the reforms.

According to the United Nations, the Egyptian revolution left more than 300 people dead and thousands more injured.

Reports say the Egyptian military has secretly detained hundreds and possibly thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators since protests erupted on January 25 demanding Mubarak's ouster.

RZS/MB

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